Local Advertising

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

A year or so ago, the guy in charge of local search for a fairly big brand wanted to see if we were interested in a project to research if the vendor running their Adwords campaign was “stealing” their local organic traffic by spending millions each month running PPC ads on all of their branded local queries (e.g. “[BRAND] [CITY]”, […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Mike Blumenthal has some nice LocalSEOGuide bait today on print yellow pages usage trends by advertisers entitled “Annual Print YP Death Watch”: “In many categories the ads are for national players. In florists for example there are 2.5 pages and only 1/8 of one page covers truly local florists….The print YP are no longer a […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Inspired by John Battele’s scoring of his 2010 predictions I figured I’d see how I did with my 2010 Local SEO Predictions: The Open Source Yellow Pages Will Emerge Let’s see – Citysearch turned into CityGrid and is now supplying yellow pages data/ads to anyone who wants it. YPG launched its Yellow API strategy. A […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

I am not at SMX East today, but I thought it might be helpful to grab some interesting local tweets bubbling up from #SMX and record them here. I’ll be updating this from time to time over the next couple of days: Hot from #SMX: The Search Crossover: Local, Mobile Social http://outspokenmedia.com/4wbfless than a minute […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

The wifi at the show has finally been fixed so here’s a summary of my notes from Steve Marshall’s presentation on SMB advertising behavior from their survey of SMB advertisers from the end of 2009. Print Yellow Pages Took a Big Hit: In 2008, 32% of SMBs advertised in the print book v. only 25% […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

The Kelsey Group surveyed “Plus Spenders”, SMBs that spend at least $25K/yr in marketing v. the average of about $2500. According to Kelsey: · 90 percent of SMB Plus Spenders have a Web site, versus 62 percent for average SMBs. · Plus Spenders use more types of online media, and spend more for online advertising […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Merchant Circle just launched a City “Mayor” program designed to promote the most connected SMBs in a service area on the site. As Greg Sterling, he of the newly redesigned Screenwerk blog, put it: Because MerchantCircle gets so much traffic from SEO in search results this will also be a major SEO play for the […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

SmallBusinessShift ponders the challenges of scaling an ambitious SMB SEM play: It’s not that Yext is a scam, although they do have some problems. The bigger issue is that there’s a communication and expectations gap when it comes to these big marketing companies and the businesses they’re serving. Yext, Yodle, etc. all have lots of […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Court Cunningham, CEO of Yodle, recently published “Local Online Advertising for Dummies”, a book to help SMBs “plan and launch an effective local online advertising campaign”, “set up a Web site that draws local traffic” & “maximize your presence on top search engines”. I haven’t read the book yet, and I am sure it has […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Supermedia just announced that they will be licensing their Superguarantee shield logo to advertisers. From the press release: SuperMedia LLC recently launched ShieldPower, a new licensing program for SuperGuarantee businesses, making it even easier for consumers to spot the ‘Good Guys.’ Qualified businesses can now leverage the power of the SuperGuarantee Shield and use it on […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Charles Laughlin and Neal Polachek of BIA Kelsey talking about their survey of Yellow Pages CEOs: Some quotes from CEOs on where we are today: “Conserving cash has replaced growth. Advertisers have reduced spending at a rate we’ve never seen before” “Print usage has dropped significantly. Nobody talked about usage in the past because sales […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

While everyone at the ILM conference is acknowledging that the economy generally blows, I am having a surprising number of conversations with local-oriented companies that are saying business is good. Case in point, Ben Saren, CEO of CitySquares.com, a Northeast-based IYP with reviews, just told me that he has seen a dramatic increase in inbound […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Sitting in on a Yellow Pages webinar organized by the YP Commando himself, Dick Larkin. Thought it might be interesting to post some of the data the presenters are discussing. I’ll keep updating this post as I see more interesting stuff. Borrell Associates predicts a 39% decline for annual print YP usage by 2013. It’s not […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Perhaps you recall my epic post – Spitzer, Emperors Club VIP & Local SEO – where I uncovered that the notorious escort service was still running a ppc campaign despite the fact that their site was down? Well today I uncovered another gem. And sometimes it’s worth repeating something over and over just to make […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Has anyone else noticed that there are almost no ads on Google search results for local “weather”-related searches? For most “city”+”weather” searches I am seeing no or almost no advertising except for Google Mobile. Seems very strange.

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Just when you were thinking that the world needed one more online yellow pages with customer reviews, Best of the Web beat you to the punch and launched BOTW Local. So what makes this different from all of the other local search guys out there? On its face, not much. However, in SEO circles BOTW […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

The #1 indicator that a local business is likely to buy online marketing services is that he is already an advertiser. (In other words if you are an advertiser you are more likely to be an advertiser – mind blowing as usual Hanan)

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

From the NYT – Turn your head and cough for the camera please. Apparently doctors in the “luxury” category (lasik, botox, boob jobs, etc.) are getting pretty aggressive at getting patients to post videos of their procedures on YouTube. Docs are offering nice discounts, and in one case a lasik doc is paying […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

The guys over at Palore have been sending me some interesting info on the local search sites they have been crawling. Recently they looked at how many sites a particular business appeared on as an advertiser. According to their data it looks like a high percentage of SMBs advertise on only one site. Check […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Just got off the phone with Robert Silverman of Statepoint Media, a service that distributes advertorial to local newspapers, who claims that while the big dailies are busy falling off a cliff, local newspapers are thriving. He’s talking about the kind of local papers you pick up in the hotel lobby or in a box […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Just walked in on the tail end of Paul Levine’s presentation at the Kelsey Conference on Adbrite and its local targeting capabilities. Apparently Adbrite has a lot more local inventory than the last time I checked, which was about a year or so ago. And they have a lot more media options and there are […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

TurnHere has already made a name for itself in the industry as the purveyors of online video for small businesses. Something must be in the air because I just got pinged by Steve Espinosa about Buzzspot.net a new service that provides affordable TV advertising to small and medium-sized businesses. Buzzspot is basically a reseller of […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Hey readers, Webvisible just raised a bunch of money and Spotrunner just bought Weblistic. I am curious if any of you out there have used any of the local search engine advertising solutions like ReachLocal, Webvisible, OrangeSoda, etc. and what your experiences have been. If you have some thoughts please email them to me at […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Last week my post How to Find Vicki Iseman’s Bio – The SEO Way got a lot of traffic not only from Google blogsearch but also from Mahalo.com. I had submitted a link to the post on Mahalo’s Vicki Iseman page in the user-submitted links section. Mahalo is a SEO machine and its Vicki Iseman […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

It’s always nice to see a wacky idea you throw out there take wing. Last month I wrote about how local businesses could market themselves on their local Freecycle group. Today I was talking to Matt McGee, Mr. Small Business Marketing himself, who relayed a story about how his wife, a realtor, took my advice […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.

I recently was shown a letter from a national brand to one of its local retailers prohibiting them from using the brand’s name in their site URLs. I am sure most of the retailers would have no idea why they received this letter but for those in the know this is a shot across the […]

Helped launch Showtime Networks first website. From there to NBC’s Internet division and ran NBC.com, launching some of the first TV to Web experiences. In 2003, helped launch InsiderPages which was acquired by CitySearch in 2006. Since then, helping clients big and small with this strange thing called “SEO”.